Machine for filling cases or boxes with packages



March 6, 1956 w, w L so JR, ETAL 2,737,327

MACHINE FOR FILLING CASES OR BOXES WITH PACKAGES Filed April 27, 1951 3Sheets-Sheet 1 E 46 22 mm 45 Thu-7 CZ/FFOBO M 077,

INVENTORS w, r I I 4774902"? March 6, 1956 H. w. WILSON, JR, EIAL2,737,327

MACHINE FOR FILLING CASES OR BOXES WITH PACKAGES Filed April 27, 195 13- Sheets-Sheet 2 AUJ' 2o cur/0w M 077;

INVENTOR.

I v a5 1 arr-awn March 6, 1956 H. w.wu soN, JR, EI'AL 2,737,327

MACHINE FOR FILLING CASES OR BOXES WITH PACKAGES Filed April 27. 1951 3Sheets-Sheet 3 HERA/4b A l. ill/A 806 JR, (ZIP/"0E0 M 07 INVENTORS.

United States Patent G MACHINE FOR FILLING CASES OR BOXES WITH PACKAGESHerman W. Wilson, Jr., and Clifford M. Ott, Moscow, Idaho; said Ottassignor to said Wilson Application April 27, 1951, Seriai No. 223,369Claims. (Cl. ZZ6.-16)

This invention relates to a device for filling cases or boxes withpackages. Although the invention is of especial utility with automaticpackaging machines, it may be employed for placing in cases, packageswhich have been previously formed or filled either by a machine or byhand.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which willautomatically select groups of packages and place these groups in a caseadapted to receive the same. Herein the term case will be employed inits broad sense to mean a container, whether of metal, wood or fibreboard which is to serve as a case for packages, to hold and protectthese packages during storage and shipment.

It is an object of the invention to provide a package casing devicehaving conveyor means for moving the packages, such as filled bags orboxes, into a package receiving space, and means which acts when apredetermined number of these packages are in the receiving space tomove the group of packages into a case or into a case disposed in thecase area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter set forth in the preceding paragraph having means forsupporting a case in the case area so that the groups of packages willbe moved into the case.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a box supportingmeans having a platform to receive the case and means for supporting theplatform so that it may be moved from one position to another assections of the case are filled with packages.

It is an object of the invention to provide in this device, for use withcases consisting of four fibre board side walls with attached bottom andtop flaps, means for controlling the positions of the flaps during andafter the performance of the casing operations which consist of movementof groups of packages into the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a casing device having apackage receiving platform or leaf on to which groups of packages aremoved by an auto.- matically controlled pusher member, and a carriagemovable with relation to the extending platform or leaf, this carriagein turn having a movable platform for supporting a case and for movingit into a position wherein the platform or leaf will extend into thecase, so that packages which are moved on to the platform will occupypositions within the case.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out inthe following part of the specification, wherein the detaileddescription of the embodiments of the invention is for the purpose ofmaking a full disclosure and is not to be construed as limiting thescope of the claims or the range of equivalents which may be applied tothe claims.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is a plan view showing important parts of an embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an end view corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of device shown in Fig. ;1, partly sectioned on aplane indicated substantially .by the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and showing thepower applying means of the device; and i Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sideview showing a case lowered position and moved adjacent the pushingmeans so that the upper portion of the case may be filled with packages.i i

The package casing device includes a base 10 fabricated from structuralsteel parts, and being supported on screw jacks 11 for limited verticaladjustment. The screws 12 of the jacks ll are interconnected forsimultaneous rotation by chain and sprocket means 13, one of the screws12 having projecting handles 14 for rotation thereof. i i v The base 16includes parallel structural angles 15 providing tracks for the fourflanged wheels. 16 of a carriage 17 which is movable toward and awayfrom a pedestal 18 which projects separately from an intermediateportion of the base 10. T'hepedestal 18 supports a conveyor 19 having aconveyor belt 20 which runs over a pulley 21. The other end of theconveyor 19 is not shown for the reason that it extends to a packagefilling and closing device forming nopart of the present invention. Theconveyor 19 extends in a plane normalto the direction of movement of thecarriage 17. As shown in Fig. 3, the pulley 21 is mounted on'ahorizontal shaft 22 supported by side plates 23 of the conveyor 19. Theshaft 22 has a sprocket 2 4 fixed thereon over which 'a chain 25 runs torotate the shaft 22 and thereby drive the conveyor 19. A shaft is drivenfrom the shaft 22 by chain and. sprocket 'means 27. A one revolutionclutch 23 mounted on the shaft 26 adjacent a circular cam 29 having acam face 30 with a crown A solenoid 32'is provided fpr actuation of theclutch 2 8,this solenoid having an aperture 33 connected by link means34 with the mechanism of the clutch 28, whereby energization of thesolenoid 32 will actuate th'e'clutch 28 so that rotation will beimparted from the shaft 26 to the cam 29, to carry the cam 29 throughone revolution from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3. i

A bracket 35, carried by the base 10, supports hinge means 36 on .whichalever 37 swings. This lever proje cts upwardly and on a intermediateportion thereof has. a cam follower in the form of a roller38'positionedso as to engage the base 30 of the cam 29. The upper end 39 of the lever37 is positioned aboye'the upper run of the belt 20 and is connected bypivot members '4!) with the rearward end or a bar 41 which is slidablein supporting block 42 carried by brackets f43"which' project upwardlyfrom a plate 44 mounted on the face of the conveyor 19 opposite from thecarriage 17. i

Qn'the frontend of the bar 41the'r1e is a bag shover or pusher member 45having aplate portion 46, extending along and parallel to the rear edge47 of the conveyor belt 20, and a rearwardly extending plate portion 46aat right angle to the plate 46. A tension spring 48 is connected to theupper portion of lever 37 so'as to exert a force attending to rnove thelover 37 toward the belt ,20. This movement is prevented by the Crown3101? the cam, unless the cam 29 is rotated. When the cam 29 is rotated,in consequence of energizatiohof the solenoid 3 2,]the follower roller38is permitted to move leftwardly,

3, so that-the spring ls will move the lever 37 and the pivot eonnectedto the upper end thereof through a cycle of movement. The pusher member45 will be moved from the position in which it is shown in full lines inFig, 3 to thedotted line postion 45a thereof andthen returned to itsinitial position, at which time rotation of the cam 29 Will stop, .withthe crown 31 thereof in engagement with the roller. I

Aguide bar .49, of. substantially the same length as theplate portion 46of the pusher member 45, is supported above the front edge 56 of theconveyor belt by a bar 51 which extends forwardly, then upwardly andthen over the top of the conveyor and the pusher member to a block 52which is swingable on a horizontal pin 53 supported by the upper ends ofthe brackets 43. Forwardly or leftwardly of the pivot pin 53, the block52 carries a roller 54 which rides on the upper face of a bar 55 whichis connected to the bar 41 so as to move therewith and occupies aposition above the guide block 42 through which the bar 41 slides. Thebar 55 is connected at its front end to the pusher member 45 and isprovided with a cam shoulder 56 which lies adjacent the rightwardportion of the roller 54 when the pusher member 45 is in retractedposition as shown in full lines in Fig. 3. At this time the guide bar 49is disposed in its lowered position, spaced from the upper portion ofthe plate 46. When the pusher member 45 starts its forward movement fromretracted position, the cam shoulder 56 lifts the roller 54 and rotatesthe block 52 in clockwise direction so as to lift the guide bar 49 fromthe position in relation to the conveyor belt 20 adjacent the rear(righti ward) ends of the members 46 and 49. These three members 46, 49and 57 define above a portion of the path of movement of the belt 20 abag receiving area A into which bags a, b and c, resting on the upperface of the conveyor belt 20, are moved by rightward movement of theupper run of the conveyor belt 20, the bag a coming into engagement withand being stopped by the transverse wall 57, after which the bags b andc are brought to a stop in consecutive order in the area A. When thesethree bags occupy the area A as indicated at a, b and c, in dottedlines, the pusher member 45 will be actuated to move the bags from thearea A on to the inner portion of the shelf 58 which projects outwardlyon the level of the upper end of the belt 20 toward the carriage 17 aswill be hereinafter described in detail. Guide rails 91 and 92 arepositioned adjacent the belt 20 and secured to the conveyor 19 to retainthe bags a, b and c in position on the belt 26.

The plate portion 46 of the pusher member 45 has mounted thereon aplurality of micro switches 59, corresponding number to the number ofbags or packages :1, b and c occupying the receiving area A. These microswitches 59 are provided with small levers 60 which project outwardlyabove the belt 20 so as to resepectively lie in paths of movement of thebags or packages which are moved into the area A. When package a, orother object to be cased, stops against the transverse Wall 57 it willengage and depress the lever associated with the rightward micro switch59 sufficiently to close this micro switch. As the remaining objects band 0' come into their respective positions in the area A, the remainingmicro switches 59 will be closed as the result of the engagement anddepression of their respective levers 60. These micro switches 59 areconnected in series with the solenoid 32 and a source of electriccurrent indicated as a battery 61. Therefore, when all of the microswitches 59 are closed, the solenoid 32 will be energized, actuating theone-revolution clutch so that rotation of the cam 29 will permit thespring 48 to move the pusher member 45 leftwardly from the position inwhich it is shown in full lines in Fig. 3, thereby shifting the packagesfrom the position thereof indicated at 62 into the position indicated bydotted lines 62:: on the inner portion of the shelf 58.

The carriage 17 forms part of a case positioning means. It has spacedrectangular frames 63 cooperating in the formation of a verticalstructure in which an elevator member 64 is vertically movable. Thiselevator member 64 has a top horizontal plate or platform 65 which, whenthe elevator member 64 is raised, lies in a horizontal plane slightlybelow the plane defined by the lower surface of the shelf 58, so thatthe side wall 66 of a case 67, supported on the platform 65, will bepositioned so that this wall 66 will move under the shelf 58 when thecarriage is moved rightwardly from the position to which it is shown inFig. 3 toward the pedestal 18, thereby carrying the case 67 into theposition thereof indicated by dotted lines 67'. The case 67 and theshelf 58 are so related as to size, that the shelf will enter the lowerportion of the case 67, and therefore, the packages which are moved onto the shelf 58 will reside within the case 67. Each actuation of thepusher member 45 will result in moving a group of packages into thepackage receiving space S existing above the shelf 58, and eachsucceeding group of packages will move the preceding group of packagesleftwardly in the space S or leftwardly along the upper face of theshelf 58 until the lower portion of the case occupying the position 67'is filled. Means is provided for maintaining the bags on the shelf 58should a box not be immediately moved into place, which includes guidearms 93 and 94 secured to the rail 92 and the stop member 57respectively and extending over the shelf 53 to engage the sides of thebags a, b and c as they are moved thereon. The invention provides meansthen operative to accomplish filling of the upper portion of the case67, as will be described in the following.

The elevator member comprises a box like open frame 63 including andextending downwardly from the platform 65. This frame 68 carries fourrollers 69 on each side to engage roller guides 69; Pig. 3, on the framemembers 63 of the carriage l7. Transverse members 7 (9, supported byhorizontal angles which are secured to the frame member 63, projectthrough the interior space of the elevator member 67 and support asheave 72 over which a cable 73 runs from a counter-weight container 74to a connection with the lower part of the elevator member 64 so thatthe counter-weight means contained in the counter-Weight container 74will tend to lift the elevator member 64 from the position in which itis shown in Fig. 4 to the position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and3. A horizontal member 75, secured to the portions of the frame member63 facing the pedestal 1.8, as shown in Fig. 3, support a plate 76 whichextends upwardly in spaced relation to the elevator member 64 and has anoutwardly turned lip '77.

A plate 78 is hingedly secured to the rearward edge of the platform 66by a hinge means A partial sheave 80 is connected to the plate 78coaxially of the hinge member 79 and a cable 81 is extended over thispartial sheave 80 to a tension spring 82 which has its lower endconnected to a bracket 83 which projects downwardly from the lowerportion of the elevator member 64. The action of the spring 82 is tonormally hold the plate 78 in erect position as shown in Fig. 3, butpermitting the plate 78 to be swung outwardly into its dotted lineposition 78' in Fig. 3. A handle 95 secured to one side of the plate 78is provided to aid in the movement of the carriage 17, the elevator 6and the plate 73.

The case 67 is of the foldable type made from fibre board, corrugatedfibre board or cardboard, having four connected side walls with bottomflaps S4 and top flaps extending from the edges of the side walls of thecase. This case is received by the manufacturer in fiat condition, twoof the side walls of the case lying flat against the remaining two sidewalls and the flaps projecting outwardly from the edges of therespective side walls. The user of the case, moves the side walls withrelation to each other so that they define a rectangular prism. Thebottom flaps are then folded inwardly into closed position, to close thebottom end of the case and also hold the side walls relatively rigid inthe form of the rectangular prism. The case 67, so prepared, is placedupon the platform 65 with one of its side walls 66 resting in ahorizontal plane. The bottom flaps 84 are brought against a face of theplate 78 and by the plate 73 are maintained in closed relation to theside wall. After the case 67 is so placed, the carriage is movedrightwardly, Fig. 3, so that the lower portion thereof receives theshelf 58, in order that the groups of packages which are pushed from thereceiving area A will be moved along the shelf 58 into the interior ofthe case which now occupies the position indicated by dotted lines 67'.

When the lower half of the case 67 is filled with the groups 62a, 62b,62c and 62d of packages, the operator extends an arm across the openfront of the case so as to engage the packages indicated at 62a, andmoves the carriage leftwardly into the position in which it is shown infull lines in Fig. 3, carrying the case 67 back to its original positionand causing the packages to slide off from the shelf and rest upon theside wall 66 of the case 67. The weight of the packages will be thencarried by the elevator member 64. The counter-weight means, includingthe counter-weight container 74 and such counterweights as may be placedtherein, is adjusted so that the elevator member 64 may be moveddownwardly without material effort to its lowermost position, at whichtime the level defined by the tops of the packages indicated at 62a,62b, 62c and 62d will be slightly below the plane defined by the lOWerface of the shelf 58. At this time the member 76 will engage thepreviously downwardly hanging top flap 86, and as shown in Fig. 4 willhold such flap in upwardly extending position across the lower part ofthe case 67 so that the packages occupying the lower part of the casecannot drop out. The next step in the case filling procedure is to shiftthe carriage rightwardly toward the pedestal 18 so that the intermediateportion of the case 67 will receive the shelf 58. The invention providesmeans whereby the operator may with facility lift the case under theshelf 58, thereby bringing the upper ends of the packages against thelower face of the shelf 58 as shown in Fig. 4, leaving ample space inthe upper part of the case, above the shelf 58, to receive theadditional groups of packages required to complete the filling of thecase. This means for lifting the case comprises a foot lever 87extending outwardly from a bar 88 which depends from one end of a lever89 which swings on a hinge 90 carried by one of the frame parts 63 ofthe carriage 17. The lever 89 is positioned so that a roller 91 on itsinner end will be just below the platform 65 when the elevator member 64is in its lowered position. When the pedal 87 is pushed downwardly, thelever 89 is rotated in counterclockwise direction, Fig. 2, and force isapplied upwardly by the roller 91 to lift the elevator member 64 andthereby force the upper ends of the packages in the lower part of thecase 67 against the lower face of the shelf 58.

When the case 67 is filled, the carriage 17 and the case are movedleftwardly away from the shelf 58 and then by pressure against the upperportion of the case it may be caused to swing the plate 78 from theraised position from which it is shown in Fig. 4 to the dotted lineposition 78', Fig. 3, with the folded bottom flaps 84 resting upon theplate 78. Thereafter, the filled case may be moved on to an adjacentconveyor to be carried to a case closing or sealing machine wherein thetop and bottom flap of the case will besecured.

We claim:

1. In a device for placing objects in a case consisting of four sidewalls, and top flaps and bottom flaps foldable inwardly from edges of atleast part of said side walls: a laterally projecting shelf of a size tofit into a case; means operative to move a group of said objects ontosaid shelf; means having a vertically movable platform for supportingsaid case in a plurality of positions, said last named means beingmovable transversely of said shelf to position said platform directlyunder said shelf whereby said case will extend around said shelf; meansoperating while said case is on said platform to hold said bottom flapsin closed position; and means operating in consequence of movement ofsaid platform from one of its positions to another of its positions tofold one of said top flaps into closed position.

2. In a device for easing objects of the character de scribed: alaterally projecting shelf of a size to fit into a case; means operativeto move a group of said objects onto said shelf, said means comprising aconveyor for moving a line of said objects into a position along therear end or" said shelf, a pusher member for moving said objectsoutwardly from said position and means operating in response to theformation of a line of said objects in said position at the rear end ofsaid shelf to actuate said pusher means; and means having a verticallymovable platform for supporting 'said case in a plurality of verticallyarranged positions wherein said case will extend around said shelf.

3. In a device for casing objects of the character described: alaterally projecting shelf of a size to fit into a case; means operativeto move a group of said objects onto said shelf, said means comprising aconveyor for moving the objects into a position at the rear end of saidshelf, a pusher member for moving said objects outwardly from saidposition and means operating in response to a predetermined number ofsaid objects occupying said position at the rear end of said shelf toactuate said pusher means; means having a vertically movable platformfor supporting said case in a plurality of vertically arranged positionswherein said case will extend around said shelf; and counterbalancingmeans supporting said A platform so that it will yield downwardly inresponse to the weight of objects in the case which is supported on theplatform.

4-. in a device for placing objects in a case consisting of four sidewalls, and top flaps and bottom flaps foldable inwardly from edges of atleast part of said side walls: a late-rally projecting shelf of a sizeto fit into a case; means operative to move a group of said objects ontosaid shelf; means having a vertically movable platform for supportingsaid case in a plurality of vertically arranged positions, said lastmentioned means being movable to position said platform directly undersaid shelf whereby said case Will extend around said shelf; a hingedlysupported wall normally disposed in vertically extending position andoperating while said case is on said platform to hold said bottom flapsin closed position, said wall being swingable outwardly and downwardlyso as to accomplish tilting of the case on said platform into *aposition wherein its bottom flaps will be horizontally disposed; andmeans operating in consequence of movement of said platform from one ofits positions to another of its positions to fold one of said top flapsinto closed position.

5. In a device for casing objects of the character described: a conveyorfor moving objects in 'a line; a stop member above said conveyor forarresting movement of an object on said conveyor; pusher meansreciprocal transversely of said conveyor from one side thereof; a guiderail extending along the other side of said conveyor, said stop member,pusher means and guide rail forming an object receiving area; meansdefining an object receiving space adjacent said other side of saidconveyor, said rail being movable out of the way of objects moved bysaid pusher means to said object receiving space; and control meansactuated by objects in said area for causing reciprocative movement ofsaid pusher means and movement of said guide rail clear of the path ofobjects moving from said area to said space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,857,082 Hall May 3, 1932 1,874,669 Wagner Aug. 30, 1932 1,942,555Kimball et al. Jan. 9, 1934 1,954,842 Ranney et al Apr. 17, 19341,976,128 Hurst Oct. 9, 1934 2,047,272 Kimball et al Iuly 14, 19362,613,021 Bowes Oct. 7, 1952

